(NZHerald) - Cast your mind back to when screwcaps on wine were a rare sight; there was more chardonnay in our vineyards than sauvignon blanc and just over a dozen wineries down in Central Otago. How things have changed, with the past 15 years witnessing the most radical transformation of New Zealand's wine industry in its entire history. Sauvignon blanc and pinot noir may be the undisputed flagship white and red varieties in New Zealand today, but 15 years ago our vineyards harked back to an era when the country was still getting to grips with what it could grow best.